Apparatus for forming tufted upholstery



No. Patented 0m I8 E. H. HEBENSTREIT.

APPARATUS FOR FORMING TUFTED UPHOLSTERY.

(Application filed Feb. 10, 1898.) (No Model.)

i I W//////////////////// Q///////////////M$ Invent r.

Attorney linrrnn STATES EMIL l-I. IIEBENSTREIT, OF MIL-WVAUKEE,WISCONSIN.

APPARATUS FOR FORMING TUF'I'ED UPHOLSTERY.

srncrmcnrron forming part of Letters Patent No. 612,497, dated Octoberis, 1898. Application filed February 10, 1898. Serial No. 669,773. (Nomodel.)

To aJZZ whom 232'; may concern.-

Be it known that I, EMIL H. HEBENSTREIT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Mil waukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of\Visconsin', have invented new and useful Improvements in Apparatus forForming Tufted Upholstery, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in apparatus for forming tuftedupholstery.

The object of my invention is to facilitate inserting the filling andsecuring the front and rear coverings.

In the following description reference is had to the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure 1 is a top view of my invention as it appearswhen provided with partitionwalls. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing aconstruction in which the partition-Walls are omitted. Fig. 3 is asection view drawn on line 00 cc of Fig. 1. Fig. 4. is asection viewdrawn on line 3 y of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail View of one ofthe needles shown in Fig. 2, and showing the material as it is beingheld thereby.

Like parts are identified by the same reference-letters throughout theseveral views.

A box-frame A, having sides B B, is pro.- vided at intervals withupwardly-projecting spines 0, preferablyformed with a reducedscrew-threaded portion D at their lower ends, which is adapted to beinserted through a hole in the bottom of the frame and secured in placeby means of a nut E. The spines are provided near their upper ends witha shoulder F and a needle-shaped extremity G, having an eye II thereinnear its point, through which a holding-pin I is adapted to be in-.

serted, as shown in Fig. 5.

For some classes of work I prefer to provide the frame with partitions JJ, which divide the frame into compartments K, as shown in Fig. 1, thespines being located in the corners formed by the partitions and offsetto form the shoulders F, so that the needle extremities are supported ina position directly over the partitions at the points where thepartition-lines cross, and the upper edges of the partitions being cutaway between the spines along the curved lines L. The partitions areconveniently formed of sheet metal, with a base, flange M, by meanswhich I utilize the apparatus above described is as follows: Thematerial which is to constitute the cover or front surface it of the-upholstery is marked off with chalk or equivalent substance on the underside to indicate the division-lines of the tufts to be formed, makingdue allowance for the bulges of the material when the filling isinserted. The cover is then laid upon the frame with the surface sidedown and the needle extremities of thespines inserted through thematerial at the points where the marked lines cross. A filling 0, ofhair or other suitable material, is then inserted in the space betweenthe spines, pressing the cover down in such spaces to form pockets forthe reception of the filling, and a suitable backing p, of cloth orsimilar flexible material, is then stretched flat over the spines andpressed downwardly to force the needle-points therethrough, the backingand cover being brought into contact or nearly in contact over theshoulders of the spines. through the eyes H to prevent the backing frombeing thrown off by the pressure of the filling; In applying the backingI commence on one side of the frame and press the back ing successivelyupon the needles, shaping or bunching the filling in the meantime toproduce neatly-formed tufts. After the backing 10 has been applied andsecured by the pins I it may easily and quickly be secured by suitablestitching to the cover 71., near the needles, by means of a curvedneedle, such as is commonly employed for this and similar purposes.

If the cover is of cloth and it is desired to form square or so-calledbiscuit-tufting, I prefer to use the partitioned frame shown in Fig. 1,as the partitions give better shape to the cloth; but for leatherupholstery the The pins I are then inserted socalled diamond-tufting iscommon, and for this I prefer to use the frame without partitions, asshown in Fig. 2.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. An apparatus for forming tufted upholstery, comprising asupporting-frame, a series of upwardly-projecting spines located in saidframe and provided with shoulders adapted to support the material, andneedle-shaped extremities projecting upwardly from the shoulders andprovided with eyes for the reception of holding-pins, and holding-pinsadapted to be removably inserted through the eyes in said needle-shapedextremities, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

2. An apparatus for forming tufted upholstery, comprising asupporting-frame, a series of partition-walls dividing the frame intocompartments, needle-shaped projections at the corners of saidcompartments provided with eyes for the reception of holding-pins, andholding-pins adapted to be removably inserted in said eyes, saidpartitions being cut away between the corners 011 a downwardly-curvedline, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

3. An apparatus for forming tufted upholstery, comprising asupporting-frame, a series of partition-walls dividing the frame intocompartments, with the upper edges of said walls cut away on adownwardly-curved line between the corners of said compartments,upwardly-projecting spines located in the corners of said compartmentsand offsetinto the angles of said partitions, and provided withneedle-shaped extremities having eyes for the reception of holding-pins,and holding-pins adapted to be removably inserted in said eyes,substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

EMIL II. I-IEBENSTREIT.

\Vituesses:

LEVERET'I 0. WHEELER, F. A. OTTO.

